PENDLETON THUMPS LA GRANDE 14-1

July 13, 2001 12:00 am

OFF TARGET: Pendleton's Cami Williams stole second base in the top of the third inning when an errant throw went past La Grande shortstop Cali Wetstein. La Grande lost 14-1, dropping its first game of the tournament. (The Observer/C.J. GISH).

By C.J. Gish

Observer Staff Writer

The nightmare called the second inning couldnt end fast enough for La Grande Thursday.

Pendleton scored 11 runs during the second inning en route to a 14-1 win over the previously unbeaten La Grande all-star team at the District 3 Girls Little League Majors Softball Tournament.

La Grande will play Pendleton again at 2 p.m. today with the winner earning the district title here at Pioneer Park.

From the start, Pendleton had a little more gas in its tank than La Grande, which hadnt played since Tuesday after winning its first three games at the double-elimination tournament.

Pendleton, on the other hand, worked its way through the consolation bracket after losing to Union County on the second day of the tournament.

On Thursday, it was Pendleton that looked sharper in every phase of the game, taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning before its barrage of runs in the second inning.

Ten batters stepped up to the plate before La Grande recorded its first out. The damage included doubles from Brittney Oles, Shanna Treloar and Jennifer Swearingen and featured a two-run homer over the left-field fence by Marie Barlett.

In the end, 16 Pendleton batters were up, taking advantage of seven hits, five walks and one batter hit by a pitch.

When it was over, the shell-shocked La Grande team could only play to beat out the ensuing rain clouds that swept in from the Blue Mountains.

Sara Halloway scored off a Tia Rhodes two-out single in the bottom of the fourth, giving La Grande its lone run just as rain drops started falling.

The game was ended via the 10-run mercy rule when Jessica McCalls deep hit was caught in left field for the third out to close the fourth inning.

Treloar pitched a one-hitter for Pendleton. She struck out four La Grande batters while allowing only two walks and one batter hit by a pitch.